Year 1 resources and ideas for teaching 2D shapes


In Year 1 students are expected to "recognise and classify familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects using obvious features (ACMMG022)". They are expected to have learnt in kindergarten to "sort, describe and name familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects in the environment (ACMMG009)" (shapes include squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, spheres and cubes). So in Year 1 they take a slightly more detailed approach and should be "focusing on geometric features and describing shapes and objects using everyday words such as 'corners', 'edges' and 'faces'".

Useful resources for this type of work include:
  • geoboards- you could also use a virtual geoboard such as:
  • geostrips - this seems to be a generic term for strings or strips that can be made into 2D shapes, e.g. straws or chenille sticks
  • paper and pencil!

Online activities and games